


Mewtwo's Daughter

by Neubauje



Series: Mewtwo's Legacy [2]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, F/M, POV Multiple, Sequel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2006-06-08
Updated: 2019-10-10
Packaged: 2020-02-29 05:17:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 15,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18771976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neubauje/pseuds/Neubauje
Summary: Mewtwo's daughter has grown up and is out on her own exploring the world. Meanwhile, Giovanni's son has taken over for him, a scientist makes a few discoveries, and the new Mewtwo species has upset the Guardian of the Dreaming.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Damaged Part 2: L2](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14933651) by [Alex_Frost](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alex_Frost/pseuds/Alex_Frost). 



I don't remember much about my earlier life. I hardly even remember anything before that. The earliest I can clearly remember is my father's face. He was holding me up as if I was the most precious thing he'd ever seen. He had this huge grin on his face, which doesn't happen a lot. And then I saw my mother and the both of them together. They were both just beaming as much as could be. We were so happy when I was younger. Maybe that's why they named me Miusha; it means 'contentment' in our natural language.

I remember them telling me stories, like how at the very moment when my mother became pregnant, a mew appeared to them. Apparently, it had sensed my presence leaving the Dreaming, and it wanted to see me off safely. Then it met my parents, (still rather flustered at the time,) and they clicked like heracross wings. The mew stuck around with my parents, and taught them many things about its kind, and consequently, our kind. That is how we learned our language, from Mew. Before that, my parents only knew the English thought-speech from "before."

They would oftentimes mention "before," but they would hardly ever speak of it. My father was especially touchy on the subject, and my mother didn't remember much of it. Neither she nor he would tell me why. I asked Mew about it, and it shrugged and said that I would learn in due time. So, I tackled it to the ground, and asked it again. It laughed and said that it actually didn't know.

Mew was funny like that, it would sometimes try to act wise, and sometimes it would be like an infant, so innocent and curious. I knew it was a very ancient creature, though. It would sometimes speak of days when there were no humans, and pokemon ruled the earth. I didn't know what a human was, and Mew said it was better that way. It just flipped around in the air and teleported back and forth, bringing me food. Mew cared for me quite a lot, because oftentimes my parents would go away together for long periods of time. I asked Mew where they went, and it would just giggle.

Mew seemed to have two different outlooks on life. Sometimes it would say things like, ((Without going out of your door, you can know all things on Earth. Without looking out of your window, you can know the ways of Heaven. The farther one travels, the less one really knows.)) And it would teach me how to tap in to the consciousness of the Dreaming. It said I could learn anything from doing that. And I tried, I really did, but I never really understood. And sometimes Mew would say things like, ((The only way to truly learn the secrets of the world is to live in it.)) And it would teach me things like how to fly, and how to live in the forest. It would teach me about the natural ways of the world, and the history of life.

My father, on the other hand, knew very little of this. He would teach me other things, things that he had learned from "before" and things he had taught himself. He taught me "modern things," as he would call them. He taught me science, math, English, mechanics, and physics and psychics, like how to use the powers contained within my brain. He would hook me up to his machines in his lab, and tell me what they did and all about how they worked. He let me study my own brain patterns, and he would take me outside and teach me how to use them. I became very strong through his training, in body, mind, and spirit. My father taught me the pride of our kind.

My mother taught me love. She told me of the days when she and my father had first met. She told me of her love for him and of her love for the Earth and for all living creatures on it. She taught me about the bond that our kind and humankind should share with pokemon. She paired me with a Meowth from a litter that our two Persians had had at about the same time I was born. She taught me about what it means to be a pokemon trainer, and what it is to have a mate. She told me that someday, I would find a mate of my own. I never knew what she meant, because I didn't know anybody but my family.

Then, when I was about seven years old, almost an adult, my parents finally sat me down for "the talk." I had just come in from outside, where I had been laying in the sun with Meowth. The entrance was empty, and the house seemed deserted. I walked down the halls, looking for some sign of life, when Mew popped into existence in front of me. ((Follow me, Miusha,)) it said, and laid its hand on my shoulder. It teleported again, taking me with it. We reappeared in an underground laboratory, one that I had never been in before. Mew led me though a sliding door, into another room filled with a complex machine and huge glass tubes filled with liquid. I gazed around the room in wonder, until I spotted my parents, seated at a large computer terminal. I went over to them, and they looked first at me, then at each other in apprehension.

((Your father and I have been talking,)) My mother said. We've decided that the time has come for you to come of age.

((We need to tell you about our past,)) My father continued for her, ((about "before.")) His eyes showed a weariness I had never seen out of him.

"It's about time," I grumbled. I was accustomed to using my physical voice, having done so since birth. I would only use telepathy when I needed silent communication or to convey deep emotions through words.

My father bowed his head, and clasped hands with my mother. They then each laid a hand on my head. They began to project images into my mind; they would do this when words proved too much for them.

I appeared in yet another lab, but I seemed to be surrounded by liquid and glass. There were excited murmurings going on around me.

((This was the first thing I saw,)) my father told me. ((I was not born, as you and Meowth were. I was created by human scientists. I was meant to be an ultimate weapon of destruction, the most powerful Pokémon on earth.))

((You're a Pokémon?)) I asked him.

((It's hard to believe, I know, but yes. Or at least in the eyes of the humans. To them, anything that isn't a human is a Pokémon. At least we can differentiate ourselves from ordinary Pokémon. But in any case, I was cloned from Mew, the very one who has been living with us since your conception. Apparently the poor thing lost an eyebrow somewhere in the rainforest, and the human researchers happened to find it 500 years later, fossilized.))

((They brought it back to civilization,)) he continued, ((and many people set to work decoding the genetics found in the eyebrow. Then a rich man, named Giovanni, came upon the project and hired the best scientists he could find. He then agreed to fund the entire cloning project, on two conditions: That the scientists would use the Mew genes to create the most powerful pokemon on earth. And that the result would belong to him.))

((So, the scientists worked diligently, happy to have a chance to work on the most groundbreaking project in history. They made many clones, and spliced their genes with many different creatures, even including some from Giovanni himself. The end result, after many failures, was me. I am Mewtwo, or the second Mew, though I look nothing like it. I was grown in this test tube,)) he said, indicating the giant tube of liquid the eyes were seeing, ((in a period of two months. The scientists were able to speed the growing process in the lab, which was a good thing, because Giovanni was a very impatient man.))

((Unfortunately for the scientists, however, they didn't count on my personality upon awakening. When I awoke, I broke out of the tube, discovered the scientists' plans to use me as an experimentation subject, and promptly destroyed them and their research facility.)) My father made the scenes change around me, to show me what had happened. He continued this as he told the story.

((It was there, amidst the flames and ruins that Giovanni came to me. He offered to teach me to control my powers, and offered me partnership. So I agreed to go with him, and he took me back to a human city, where he had a facility that was a cover for his heinous crime syndicate. Once there, he locked me into armor that restrained my powers and limited my freedom. He ran me through endless battles, and even though I won every single one, he still tortured me at the end of every day.)) I winced as I felt his pain.

((He had promised me partnership and instead threw me into cruelty and slavery. He said that I was a Pokémon, created by humans to obey humans. He said I could never be his equal.))

((So I escaped. I fled from the city, shedding the armor as I flew. I should have burned down his building, as I had before, I don't know why I didn't. His people gave chase. They shielded themselves in technology, and hunted me down. I fought them off for as long as I could, but then… I don't know how it happened, but I teleported. I hadn't known how yet, but I did. I ended up here, where there were no humans. I came upon this building, and claimed it as my own. I lived here for five years without interruption.))

((And in the meantime,)) my mother chimed in, having been listening to the whole thing with us, ((Giovanni commissioned a second try at the project. That's how I came about. He called me Mewthree, even though I was essentially the same species as Mewtwo. I did not first awaken when I was created, however. I was in a trance-like state, absorbing my surroundings without having a sense of self. I was like a trained growlithe. As it turned out, Giovanni was trying to prevent another escape incident, and the scientists had implanted a control chip in my brain.))

I said nothing, too shocked to even comment on Giovanni's wickedness.

((Then about five years after I escaped,)) my father continued, ((everything started to happen at once. I was discovered by a young human girl. She taught me that not all humans are as evil as Giovanni was. We became what you could call friends, but almost immediately after, she was informed of a dire piece of news. Her home city, which happened to be the city where Giovanni's building was, was under attack. With her help, I staged an attack on Giovanni's group. When she arrived in the city, carrying me and my army incognito, she was assaulted and killed by Giovanni's men. I went on from there, determined to finish what I had come for. When I advanced upon Giovanni's company, I caught sight of something I'd never thought I'd see.))

((Me,)) my mother stated. ((Giovanni was using my psychic powers to attack the cities and try to gain control of the world. I was helpless to stop him, still under control of the chip in my brain. That's where your father came in. He immediately disabled the chip, so I was free for the first time. He was the first thing I saw with free eyes.))

((The battle was quickly over from there,)) my father narrated. ((With your mother no longer under Giovanni's control, and his troops incapacitated, he was left as the helpless human he truly was. I overtook him easily. I transported all of us back here, where I held Giovanni for questioning, and eventually, execution.))

((You killed him?!)) I was aghast at the thought.

((I would have done much worse,)) he answered, ((had his memories not defended him. His pet Persian, then, came to live with me. It is now the father of the litter your Meowth came from. And Mewthree came as well, and became the mother of… you. It has now been about fifteen years since I was first created, and now you know our story.))

He brought us out of our coma-like state. I awoke, only to find Mew curled up asleep on my head. I shook my head and Mew flew off, hurtling through the air. It made a quick pink bubble and bounced off the wall safely, then flew back and sat promptly on my head again. I sighed.

Looking at my parents, I realized how much this must have taken them to bring to light again. With small tears in the corners of my eyes, I swept the both of them into a hug. We embraced for a couple seconds, and Mew playfully hugged my ear. Annoyed, I reached up and brushed it off with my tail. Facing my parents again, my father looked as though he were about to speak again, but he was overcome with emotions and buried his head in my mother's shoulder.

She looked up and spoke for him. ((We're letting you go,)) she said, and I could hear her anxiousness in her telepathy. ((It's time for you to go see the world, you've been here your whole life, and it's time for you to see what else is out there. Mew will insure that you run into no trouble, but aside from that, you'll be on your own with just your Pokémon.))

((As much as I hate the idea,)) my father added, ((You need to meet humans. You need to see what they are, and to try to coexist with them. Beware, though, most human adults are corrupted by greed, and cannot be trusted without further investigation. Trust your instincts, use your powers appropriately, and keep safe. Mew will see you off safely before returning to us, and should you ever need its assistance, you can call it through the Dreaming.))

I was awestruck. I thanked my parents repeatedly, a strong feeling of apprehension settling over my stomach. As I set off to leave, my mother left me with some parting words.

((Remember, we love you. But also remember to find love of your own. Good luck, and have fun!))

And Mew and I flew off into the sunset.


	2. Chapter 2

I'd always wanted to be a scientist, ever since I was a little boy. I know it was only because Dad was a great scientist, and as a little kid, I was very impressionable. But even still, being implanted with that dream at a young age had a lasting impact on what I grew up to be later on in life. It's what pulled me through school, and what instructed me to find work under one of the most well known scientists of all time, aside from my father, Dr. Asaki. I still remember going in for the interview, and when the interviewer heard my name, Maxwell Asaki, she gave me a strange look and said, "You wouldn't happen to be related Dr. Asaki, would you? The leader of the Mewtwo project?"

"He was my father," I replied with a smirk.

She made a small "oh" sound and immediately scribbled a note on her clipboard. "And I suppose he taught you well in the fields of science and physics?"

"He was my teacher away from school. He taught me everything I know." She again scribbled a note on her clipboard, seemingly already impressed with my background. She continued to ask several questions about my work ethics, my scientific background, my education, and many other things. By the end of the meeting, I was rather certain I had the job.

And sure enough, about a week later, they called me and hired me on the spot. I've been working under Silph co. ever since. I've moved up from simpler jobs, and I now work in research and development. Our most recent project has been involving pokeballs. We've been working towards finding a way to mass-produce the Masterball, a product that was developed about ten years ago. It was extremely difficult to make, and the records report that only a few were ever in existence. One was given to a child who somehow saved the company from the attack of Team Rocket, shortly before they disbanded after their leader's disappearance. One was kept in storage for later research. And the rest were given to the gifted few who were able to beat the Elite 4.

My job is to study the workings of the Masterball, and to research the factor that makes it a guaranteed success. I have to find that certain factor that causes a pokemon to be able to be caught and contained in a pokeball.

In the meantime, my research branch has developed some interesting pokeballs along the way, based on recent findings. We have discovered that pokemon have different "auras," as we like to call them. These are based mainly on their types and environments. We have been able to create special pokeballs specially attuned to these different auras, such as the Netball, the Skyball, and several others. Surprisingly enough, we've even developed a ball that is capable of containing humans. We've not released it yet, though, until further research is completed.

But I'm getting off topic here. I was hired at Silph co. after the Team Rocket attacks. Celadon city has since been rebuilt, and the damaged part of Saffron has been repaired. We have raised our security, and have set up a defense system in case of another attack, no matter how unlikely that may be since the disbanding of Team Rocket.

Anyways, I live a good walk from work, very close to the train station in the north part of the city. I'll usually walk to work, and I let my pokemon walk with me. I don't have just a magnemite as so many other scientists do. I have a bit more balanced team, with my favorite being a hypno. He'll walk beside me silently, twirling his pendulum nonchalantly. It's a marvelous sight early in the mornings, as he keeps me company on the long walk to work. His quizzical stare reminds me of my younger self occasionally, but I can see his intelligence in his eyes. He doesn't seem to mind me using him for testing our products. He makes a great lab partner; he's much better than some of the knuckleheads I have to work with.

Even still, it gets somewhat boring, having the same schedule day in and day out. The monotony seems to run together, even when we have a breakthrough. I need to take a vacation or something, if only to break away from the same routine every day. But of course, I couldn't just up and leave like that. I'd have to make plans, call off from work, and okay it with the boss, not to mention my colleges would probably make something go wrong if I wasn't there to supervise every step… so a vacation isn't looking likely.

I just wish something would happen.

____________________________________________________________________________

"Have the reports come in yet?" I demanded of the grunt in front of me.

"No, sir, not yet. They aren't due until tomorrow." He stood shaking.

"Tomorrow isn't good enough. If those reports aren't on my desk by 9:00 tonight, it'll be your head on the block." I have to keep my workers in check, or nothing would be done around here.

"Yes sir, I'll see to it."

"Very well, you are dismissed." He backed out of the room and shut the door, but I could still hear the sound of him running away before I could change my mind.

I buried my forehead in my hand and sighed. It was tough work, taking over for my father after he had disappeared. I had to keep the organization running, but under the public impression that they were disbanded. It meant having to make a living without any big operations. It was tedious and frustrating. Almost all of our income went straight to wages, and anything left went to supplies, leaving nothing left for any projects or development. The great sums of money my father had accumulated were stored in some great bank vault whose combination had not been divulged to anyone, not even me. So we'd had to sell his vast collection of rare pokemon for money, just to make it to the next month. I hated seeing them go, knowing how hard he had worked to assemble them… but there was nothing to be done for it. We couldn't blow our cover by attempting any major robberies; we needed the public to believe we were disbanded. If they knew we still existed, they would hunt us down and wipe us out while we were weak. We needed to wait until we could withstand any attacks before we blew our cover. But we couldn't get stronger by only doing enough to scrape by, and we couldn't do more until we were stronger… It was a doomed mission.

I sighed again and stared at the fuzzy reflection of red hair in my nameplate. I could only see the back of it, but I remember how they had drilled my first name over my father's, Giovanni. Now, instead of reading Giovanni Mussolini, it read Ardanio Mussolini. My father had insisted on another Italian name, having been from Italian descent himself. My mother, from whom I had received my red hair, consented. She never was a very strong-willed woman. She didn't have the will to fight the pneumonia as it overtook her, when I was about five. My father alone raised me from there. He let me roam the world when I turned twelve, with the promise to come back when I had made something of myself.

So, I'd stolen a starter pokemon, a Cyndaquil. I raised it and a whole team. I was involved in a bit of a rivalry with a child my age that had a Grovyle. I never seemed to be able to win, so I resorted to a life of crime. I knew my father would approve.

About two years later, when I was fifteen, I returned to my father's complex in Kanto. He was pleased to see how much wealth I had accumulated from the various crimes I'd pulled off. Then, when he had a bit of trouble with his gym in Viridian, he let me run the Game Corner operation for the short time he was away. That was my first taste of true power. Then five years later, I was left in command of the operation of the company while he took half of the staff and went on his attempt at world domination. He never came back.

I've been in command ever since.

______________________________________________________________________________

I felt a nagging in the back of my mind. It called me out of my sleep. It had been there for years, only a small persistent buzz that I had been able to ignore and sleep through. But it had grown larger, large enough to even draw me out of my deep slumbering. It felt like… a disruption, or perhaps just an addition. An addition to the force. The members of the force did not die, and most did not propagate, so it rarely fluctuated… Then what was causing the disruption now? It had hadn't been enough to worry me before, except that now it had been added to three times in just fifteen small years. This sort of behavior was previously unheard of. An investigation was due.

Opening my eyes, I stretched my limbs, noting the feeling rushing back into them after centuries without use. The sand and silt drifted off my body as I rose from the depths. The stinging cold of the air and sea spray returned me to my senses. I looked around, noting the condition of the land around me. It had changed much within the past few centuries, as active islands often do. The landmasses were hardly recognizable. I flew to the top of the tallest one in sight, and there I meditated.

Tapping into the collective consciousness of the Dreaming, I ran through the minds that were familiar to me. The minds of the mortals were included, but they were small and hardly noticeable. It was not they who concerned me. I took account of my acquaintances from the days of creation. There, indeed, were my winged brethren, my twin counterpart, and my brethren's land-bound counterparts. There were the guardians of the faraway sea, earth, sky, and stars, though their minds were faint in my familiarity of the Dreaming. And there was the guardian of Time, and the one of Life.

It was this last one that concerned me. The guardian of Life was different than I last remembered it. It had company.

There, in its presence, in its awareness, were the three recent additions to the force. The ones who had woken me from my slumber. They were mortals, much like those that did not concern me, but these three were different. They possessed a consciousness like no mortal before them. It nearly equaled that of the guardians. These three mortals were young, very young by our standards, and had much to learn. Even still, their wisdom was growing, standing out, nagging the back of my mind.

I made my decision. I had to see these three for myself. Spreading my wings, I took flight in the direction that the Dreaming had pointed me.


	3. Chapter 3

Mewtwo stormed around the house, pacing back and forth agitatedly. His frustration was overflowing into his psychic aura, and it was radiating from his skin. As he paced, he walked too close to a delicate instrument, and his frustration was so strong that it caused the instrument to break. Mew flew along happily behind him, and repaired the instrument and set it back in its place. Mew was even happier than usual for some reason, it would giggle at almost anything. Sometimes it would have only to look at Mewtwo, and it would crack up laughing. This only added to Mewtwo's frustration at his daughter leaving. Sure, he had told her to, but now that she was gone, he regretted it, and there was nothing he could do about it.

Mewthree walked in on Mewtwo in the gym, where he was beating the stuffing out of a punching bag. ((Mewtwo!)) She called at him. He stopped his workout, breathing heavily. He drifted over to his beloved, and stood by her side, grooming her ear.

All of a sudden, they heard a sound from the center of the gym. The punching bag had fallen apart at the seams. At this, Mew burst out laughing, zooming away into the shadows. ((Confound it all, that's the second one this week!)) Mewtwo cursed at the remains of the punching bag.

((Honey,)) Mewthree tried to calm her husband, but he continued to rant. ((Honey,)) she tried again, but to no avail. ((I have something to tell you.))

((What?)) He said, instantly alert.

((I'm pregnant again.))

Mewtwo ran his mind around this statement, taking into consideration all of its implications. Then it occurred to him. ((MEW!))

Mew popped into existence with a happy grin on its face. ((Yeah?))

((Did you know about this?))

((Of course, silly, I know everything!)) It shot a silly grin at the infuriated father. ((Know what?)) It added as a second thought.

((That Mewthree is pregnant again.))

((Oh, that. Well duuuhhh! She asked me not to tell you for a few days, though.)) Mew floated happily next to Mewthree's head, and Mewtwo stared at the two of them, anger flowing through his very pores. Then he sighed, losing all traces of the anger.

((It's wonderful news,)) He said, ((And now I'm going to go sleep for about nine months.)) And he teleported away, presumably to the bedroom up in the attic.

((What's his problem?)) Mew laughed.

_______________________________________________________________________

I flew above the buildings for quite some time, not knowing what to do. Mew had escorted me across the ocean and to the nearest city, then it had said farewell and popped out of existence, presumably to be with my parents again. So there I was, drifting overhead, all alone, and with no purpose as the sun sunk warmly into the western horizon. Surprisingly, I was in plain sight, but had not been noticed in the two hours I'd been there. You'd be surprised how rarely humans look up.

As I flew, I took into account the minds below me. I could hear brief snippets of their thoughts and feelings. Few interested me; most were self-centered, worrying only about surviving to the next day. I came upon one mind, however, that was a little different. It too was concerned with daily affairs, but not its own. It was concerned for its master. It was a Pokémon. One of great intelligence, to be sure. I slowed down and kept above it as it walked alongside a human, presumably the center of its thoughts. The hypno, as it turned out to be, was worried about its master's sanity. It didn't think in words, exactly, but I could still tell exactly what it meant. It was good friends with the human it was accompanying. The human was its master, but also its companion and caregiver, and the hypno was its confidant. Lately the both of them had been bogged down in so much work, that the hypno feared for the mental sta- Wait.

I froze in midair.

The hypno had stopped its train of thought, and was looking straight up at me. It had sensed me prying into its outermost thoughts. I quickly threw up a cloaking shield, as my father had taught me to do, but not before I saw the human cast his gaze to the sky. Had I been noticed?

I prayed for them to continue on their way, but to my horror, the hypno raised its arms into the air and began swinging its pendulum back and forth. Before I knew what was happening, I felt a seeping coldness wash over me. I could tell that my cloaking device had been disabled. And all of a sudden, I was falling. My telekinesis holding me afloat had also been disabled. There was nothing I could do to keep the world below me from rushing up.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

I was just walking home with Hypno, like normal, when all of a sudden he stopped dead in his tracks, looking up at the sky.

"What is it, buddy?" I asked, following his gaze. There, in the sky, was something, but before I could get a good look at it, it vanished. Hypno wasn't so sure, though. He raised his arms in the air, preparing for his Disable attack. I'd seen it many times before. I looked back up at the sky, where he was focused, and before long that thing appeared in the sky again- and it was falling right towards us! I took a few steps back to get out of the way, but Hypno didn't look concerned.

Instants before the thing would have landed on top of him, he raised his hands, palms spread against the millimeters of air between the two. It stopped in midair. He stepped out from underneath it, calmly backed towards me, and dropped his hands, simultaneously dropping the whatever-it-was a few short feet to the ground.

It stirred. I realized it must be some sort of Pokémon, but none I'd ever seen… at least for a few seconds while it stood up. But then years of memories came flooding back, provoked by the shape of the creature.

It was shaped like Mewtwo.


	4. Chapter 4

I blinked my eyes several times, trying only to keep them open for one more hour. I needed to finish these files before I succumbed to sleep. Just… one… more…

The desk light dimmed as I nodded off.

 _Ardanio,_ a voice beckoned. I saw black, and an outline. _Ardanio,_ it called again. My father. _Listen to me,_ he persisted, _I'm speaking to you through the Dreaming. It is my last hope. You must listen._ His "voice" sounded desperate, something I'd never heard from him.

 _Father, I tried,_ I explained, _I tried to keep the company going._

 _I know,_ he assured me. _And I thank you. But you need my help. You must find the folder on my computer. It's labeled in your name._

 _Wouldn't I have found it before?_ I questioned what I thought was still just my subconscious mind pleading out for help.

 _My son,_ the voice of my father chuckled, another thing I had never heard him do, _you are truly the son of Giovanni. You have been so absorbed in your work that you have not even begun to explore the vast amounts of knowledge I collected. My data banks are brimming with secrets, waiting for you to unlock them. Start with your file, it will tell you what you need to know. I'm sorry you did not know about it before… But now I must leave you, my son. Be strong._

I awoke to a rapid beeping sound. I lifted my head, and the sound stopped. I had been resting on the keyboard, and the computer was protesting. I shook my head. I knew it was foolishness, listening to a dream. I had paperwork to be doing.

But still, what could it hurt to do a quick search for the folder? My curiosity peaked. I pulled up a file query, typing in my own name. Several results appeared, all of them single documents that must have mentioned my name. But one result was a folder. I opened it. Inside were what looked like many tutorials, all titled with different subjects I needed help with. There was one video file. I opened it and pressed "Play."

My father came onto the screen. "Ardanio, if you're watching this, I regret to inform you that I am most likely dead. I am relieved, however, that you were able to find my final goodbye to you. The tutorials, research, and other various files contained in this folder will tell you everything you need to know about what I was doing before you took over.

"My son, welcome to the family business."

_____________________________________________________________________________

I soared above the oceans, each sweep of my wings caused small whirlpools to form below me. I was surprised; it actually felt good to be awake and moving again. My centuries of slumber had robbed me of my memories of life. I had forgotten what it was like to fly free.

A cry of sheer joy burst out of my throat, I spiraled upward into the air, above the white ocean that floats in the sky. The sun shone and warmed my cold blood. I closed my eyes again momentarily, finding a bearing through the dreaming. The three additions I had been originally concerned with were indeed still there, but one had split off. The Guardian of Life was still residing with the other two. I half-opened my eyes, allowing my consciousness to align itself over the physical world. I now knew which way to go to get to the Guardian of Life and its companions.

I set my sights on where I knew the ancient forest to be and continued flying above the white ocean.

____________________________________________________________________________

I stood there flabbergasted for what must have been eons. The last time I had seen Mewtwo was when I was a little boy, when I used to visit Dad in the labs. Even just the sight of it brought me back to my childhood mentality! 'Dad,' indeed!

There was a definite feminine grace to this creature, though, so until corrected I decided it was female. She stood there, thick tail lashing back and forth, glaring at Hypno. Her skin was mostly grayish, but it blurred to black towards the ends of her extremities. And when it reached her belly/tail, it blended first to black, then quickly to a deep, dark purple. The purple ran all the way along the tail, lightening to sweet lavender at the very tip. Overall, the affect was very beautiful.

I shook my head, coming to my senses. Mewtwo was a powerful and dangerous creature, and I was sure that whatever this was, she was no exception. I glanced at Hypno, who sent feelings of reassurance my way. He had me protected.

She spoke first before I could even get my thoughts together. I had forgotten that Mewtwo spoke too.

"You caught me."

I flushed. Her voice was beautiful, just like her body. Wait, her voice? Hadn't Mewtwo used telepathy? I had to think of something to say, and quickly. I don't know what made me do it, I swear it must have been some primal trainer's instinct, but what I did next horrifies me to this day.

"Not yet, I haven't," I replied, and whisked out one of our psychic-attuned pokeballs and lobbed it at her. With a swift swipe and a small burst of mental power, she swatted it away as easily as if I'd thrown a yarn ball.

Her eyes narrowed, beginning to glow blue, and she lifted me up by the collar, her hand not actually making contact.

"Is this how you greet people?" She demanded, infuriated, "By enslaving them?!" She threw me to the ground and I slid a few feet before Hypno stopped me from running into a wall. "No wonder my father hated humans so much," she spat. She turned and crouched, about to take off into the air again, as I had seen… had she said her father? As I had seen Mewtwo do in the recordings of the day he murdered my father and his entire team.

"Wait," I called out, before I lost my chance.

She tensed, but did not go. In the meantime, something was nagging my mind.

"I'm sorry," I said, "I didn't mean to offend you. But please don't leave without us properly meeting." My mind reeled as I treated this Pokémon as an equal, but if I learned anything from the Asaki project, it was to never get on the bad side of a mewtwo.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

I sniffed as the pathetic human extended his hand in my direction. I straightened up, and extended my hand in return, probing his thoughts all the way. I could sense fear, disgust, wonder, curiosity, awe, and… longing.

"My name," I said upon contact, "Is Miusha. And as you've probably guessed by now, I am the daughter of Mewtwo."

I knew what his reply would be split seconds before he said it, and a shiver ran down my spine.

"I'm Maxwell Asaki, and as you probably already _guessed_ ," he said, tapping his skull as though he knew I were intruding, "I'm the son of the scientist that created your father."

I internally rolled my eyes. This was off to a good start already.


	5. Chapter 5

It proved to be an awkward first few minutes. The poor human, Maxwell, kept fumbling over himself, almost a mix between how the ignorant would treat a celebrity or a disabled person. And perhaps in his mind, I was both. Who knew what his skewed perception of our kind was? He probably still thought of us as mere Pokémon.

I had half a mind to just wipe his memory and leave, but my mother's voice nagged me as a sort of conscience in favor of the human race. Besides, his good-natured hypno amused me. So I ended up walking along with him on the route he was headed before I interrupted. We conversed while we walked. I, of course, was cloaked, so he had to make it look as though he were talking to Hypno, while I just used thought-speech. Hypno was listening in on both ends, I could tell.

As the sun was just disappearing and the city lights were turning on, we stopped in front of a house. Maxwell turned in my direction and focused his eyes on where he supposed mine must be, and he was only about six inches off.

"Well, this is my house," he stated gracelessly. "What about you?"

((Don't worry about me,)) I assured him. I could feel the sadness pouring off him. He'd come to enjoy my company, as far as I could tell. I began to pity the lonesome human whose only companion was this little Hypno. And besides, he was certainly intelligent, once he stopped to use his brain. I decided to take a chance and let him go without wiping his memory.

"Where will you go?" He truly had taken an interest in me, though the scientist's curiosity may have just been getting the better of him.

((Tell you what,)) I suggested, ((I'll meet you back here in the morning, then we can talk some more. Your little subject won't blow you apart and abandon you just yet.))

"Stop that," he hissed, his cheeks flushing. He seemed to hate it when I sensed his outermost feelings like that. As though I could help it, when he was broadcasting them to the rest of the world. I shot a look at Hypno, who sent me an image of rolling his eyes.

((I will walk with you every day,)) I told him, uncloaking my eyes so he had something to see, ((On the condition that this stays confidential. Otherwise you know what I must do.))

He nodded, and I flew a few feet away, cloaking myself again so he wouldn't know where I was. He sighed, let out a small "Oi" and went inside.

I landed lightly on his roof and sat, working myself into a trance. I kept a focus on the two minds inside the house, and then cast my own mind out farther into the Dreaming. I found the bright glowing beacon that was Mew, stretching out like a lighthouse through the haze of the Dreaming. It was just about the only other one I could find, as I was attuned to it through years of training. I knew I should be able to find anyone, but as both of us knew, I was no master of meditation.

 _Mew,_ I called.

 _Miusha,_ it replied, its "voice" a little faint, _How did your first day go?_

_To be expected, I met a human accidentally._

_Only accidentally?_ Mew laughed. _Then what happened?_

_We talked. We walked. I stalked. You know, the usual as far as I go._

_You always were so paranoid,_ Mew chuckled, _Just like your father. But I'm glad you're giving it a chance._

 _'Him,'_ I corrected, _We agreed to stop calling each other 'it.'_

_Well I meant the whole idea, but yeah, **him** too._

_Good night, Mew. Bid my parents greetings._

_I will, little one. And remember, play nice!_

Mew was silent then, so I settled my mind back to the two below me. My body had gone to sleep, it needed recharging for tomorrow. My mind stayed in a trance, close enough to sleep to be able to carry me through 'till the next night until I saw if Maxwell was true to his word.

The night maintained.

_________________________________________________________________________

I could not believe what my eyes were seeing on that computer screen. I'd stayed up all night reading my father's entries, and now the first few rays of sunlight were peeking back through the shades. I glanced at my watch. It was 7:30 am. The employees should have been there by then. I picked up the PA microphone, and made an announcement to the entire facility.

"There will be an emergency all-staff meeting in the auditorium in one hour. Anyone who fails to attend will be fired."

Then without so much as another word, I set an alarm and collapsed for a quick nap before I spread the good news.

_________________________________________________________________________

I flew on. I flew more. I flew until the land below me changed. I flew until the sky above me darkened and lightened thrice. I flew until even my great wing muscles began to tense and become sore. I flew over land, and the small flying mortals began to call out, announcing my presence. I bid them be silent, and they quieted. I flew over trees, over land, over water, over more land, then more trees.

Finally, I reached the ancient forest, very close to the residence of the Guardian of Life and its companions. Deciding to wait one more day until I would be back at full strength, in case it was needed, I worked my way between the trees and laid on the mossy earth, folding my wings along my back. Closing my eyes, I went to sleep for a short time.


	6. Chapter 6

Mewtwo let out a little snore as a grey arm gently curled its way around his waist. Cracking one eye open, he smiled softly at his mate as she joined him in his small, secluded attic bed. There was hardly room for the both of them, but she had worked her way into his arms. His anger at being surprised earlier had dissipated, leaving only the joy of the good news, and anxiety at what it would bring in coming days.

((Good morning,)) the clone purred into one of Mewthree's pointed ears, his own arm curling back around her body to pull her close and keep her from falling off the edge of the small bed. He let his chin rest on her forehead and draped a mental blanket of comfort and love around her and her abdomen.

Mewthree smiled, relieved to see that her mate had calmed since the previous night, and was embracing the thought of having more children. Perhaps this was just what he'd needed to take his mind off Miusha's absence. Her hand flew to her stomach as a small nudge of consciousness from the growing fetus responded to Mewtwo's comforting- The brain had started to form, and was becoming active. Mewtwo felt the small nudge too, his eyes widening a bit as he curled his tail around Mewthree's waist and joined her hand with his at her stomach. Just like the first time seven years ago, Mewthree noticed that he looked happier than she'd ever seen him, a (relatively) huge grin lifting his cheeks as he gently responded to the small, developing mind.

Mewtwo's eyes widened further when he was greeted not by one little mind, but by two. They were twins.

Both parents beamed at each other in excitement before embracing tightly for a moment, Mewthree purring softly for the twins before lifting her head.

((Mew sent me,)) she whispered, reluctant to lose this moment of contentment, ((It says we have a visitor. We're to prepare ourselves for a meeting shortly and meet Mew outside.))

Mewtwo jerked upright, instantly alert. ((A visitor? Who?)) He rolled out of the other side of the bed and made his way toward the staircase, already preparing a store of firepower energy.

Mewthree shrugged and followed suit, ((Mew didn't say… but it seemed a little anxious, like it was somebody it knew.))

____________________________________________________________________________

I cleared my throat as the last of the employees shuffled into the auditorium. A silence quickly fell upon the room, no doubt the attendees were eager to see what was so important as to cost them their jobs. I flicked a light switch on the wall near the podium, leaving only a projector as a light source.

"Welcome to the Team Rocket reboot," I began, somewhat nervously, and pulled up several diagrams and maps. "Many of you will have noticed that ever since the disappearance of my father, the company has been running quite a bit less efficiently under my command." I was hesitant to reveal my knowledge of my father's death, in case it would turn the loyalties of any of the Rockets.

"That's all about to change, however, as I've just become privy to Giovanni's secrets- We now have the resources to scout, hire, and pay new members to assist with large-scale operations. We can resume our bribing of the Jenny Police Force and the Pokemon League, and therefore re-open the gym and casino. I also have plans to start a hostile takeover of the new radio station in the Johto region, which will mean starting a faction there for headquarter purposes."

The audience murmured quietly amongst themselves, with many a face lighting up at the prospect of promotion.

"The largest expansion I would like to make, however," I added, pulling up old scientific diagrams and footage, "is the scientific research and development department. I plan to restart the Mewtwo project." The crowd fell silent, perhaps in fear... The Mewtwo project, in its two attempts to date, had not resulted well. "I will be assembling an elite team to find and persuade the top scientists in the area of genetics to come work on the project. I want ANY person ever remotely associated with Mewtwo or Mewthree to be directly under my command, the small number of them which have managed to survive."

A few of the scientists, still left over from the Mewthree attempt looked to each other excitedly. They would be crucial for this next attempt, and as such would be paid well.

"Finally, in regards to the Mewtwo project, I'd like to prepare all employees for future procedures. I plan to have multiple clones manufactured, and I have a plan to ensure success. Instead of employing direct control, as was proposed with Mewthree, I would instead like to implant _loyalty_. If the clones are loyal Team Rocket members, then not even Mewtwo himself can take them away from us. In order to achieve this effect, however, I'll require your participation. All clones manufactured in the resurrected Mewtwo project are to be treated as EQUALS."

The crowd gave a small mutual gasp.

"That's right, you will regard each clone not as a slave or a tool, but as a person, an individual, and a valuable member of your respective teams. They will be assigned to many of the same duties as all of you, and will accompany you on your missions. They will be instilled with the same Rocket values as any newly recruited member, and will receive the same treatment. Think of them not as Pokémon, but as powerful allies."

With a final click of the projector, I flicked the lights back on.

"Check your inboxes for updates to your orders and missions. I'll be assembling my higher-ups and delegating the new jobs shortly. Board of directors, report immediately to my office. That is all."

________________________________________________________________________________

I snapped back to consciousness as Maxwell did the same, his mind already occupied by several things. The day ahead, the leftovers in the fridge, his current work project, and most of all, me. I tensed slightly, anticipating the intention to call a higher-up or the media. The moment of truth passed, however, and Maxwell only went about in his daily routine, an excitement in regards to my appearance buzzing softly in the back of his mind.

Soon enough I had met Maxwell and Hypno outside their front door, packed lunch in hand as he surreptitiously peered around for any sign of me. ((I am here,)) I assured him, ((Let us walk.))

_______________________________________________________________________________

"I was halfway expecting you not to come," I murmured softly at the empty air, beginning my morning stroll to work. "I still don't entirely understand why you're here..."

((To be honest,)) the disembodied voice trailed in my head, ((I don't entirely understand either. I've been sent on a mission to see, experience, and understand the world. Yet so far, you are the only thing of interest I've seen. I've no idea what I'm supposed to be looking for. Mew is lacking in the area of specification.))

"So you were sent by Mew?" I shared a wide-eyed glance with Hypno- Mew had reportedly never been seen alive by human eyes.

((By Mew and my parents, yes.)) Though I could not see Miusha, she seemed frustrated with her task. I imagined it must be difficult to search for something unknown.

"Perhaps I can be of assistance," I offered. I was no expert on the world at large, but I at least knew how to plan a vacation with a few decent tourist attractions. Heck, even Saffron had its own sights to see. "Before I leave work today, I'll arrange for some time off. I'll tell them I've had a family emergency, and need two weeks to help with the recuperation process." Silph Co. knew that my father was dead already, but they didn't know anything else about my family. It could be a viable excuse, and would be the first time off I'd had in eighteen months or so.

Miusha pondered this for a moment. ((This is acceptable. I appreciate the offer and look forward to your assistance.))

With that small journey, we had already reached the front doors to the corporate building, so I bid goodbye to my new vacation partner and headed in for the day, already preparing a cover story for Mr. Silph.

_________________________________________________________________________

I awakened slowly from my small slumber. The sleep receded more quickly this time than last, having only been a small nap compared to the centuries of slumber I had previously endured. The lush green of the Ancient Forest was a shocking reminder of my surroundings, and of my task at hand. Giving one last careful stretch between the gnarled trunks, I turned in the direction of the Guardian of Life's residence. However, I was surprised to find it already there, waiting for my consciousness to return from the Dreaming.

((Mew, a pleasant surprise to see you here.))

((I could say the same of you, Lugia. What's your reason for visiting?))

((As the Guardian of Life, you surely must know why that of the Dreaming would arrive at your doorstep.))

Mew sighed, and a slight curl made its way to my lip as I straightened up a bit, nearly protruding above the treeline.

((Yes,)) Mew admitted, ((I suppose the clones would grab your attention. Their abilities are growing in leaps and bounds.))

((The what?))

((Clones, living creatures created by humans. With the intention to create a powerful weapon, they obtained and altered my life-code to create them. They nearly surpass me in many ways.))

This was certainly cause for concern, and I lowered my head to Mew's level to get an eye-to-eye view. Back when the world was new, I used to be an intimidating figure to the littlest guardian. These days, the playful thing rarely took me seriously.

((They surpass you, and you do not destroy them? Are you not able?))

Mew shook its head. ((No, that's not it. I could probably take advantage of a few things to keep them under my rule. But it's an unnecessary precaution, Lugia. The clones are my friends. Though their life-code was taken from mine without any of our consent, we have grown to see our similarities and learned to use our differences towards a common cause. They're much better company than you Johto Guardians have been for the last few decades, you know!))

I tweaked my stoic expression in mirth, ((Fair enough, little one, we have indeed been apart from the physical world for far too long.)) Turning to return to flight for the journey back to my islands, I addressed Mew once again. ((Take heed though, fair Guardian. Take heed in your title and be sure to guard the lives of not only your new friends, but of the other mortals... and for my sake, the balance of the Dreaming. Should you ever lose control, you know what must be done.))

As I turned to leave, I noticed the "clones" exiting their residence to greet me, but I no longer had any business with them. I bid them and Mew a silent farewell, and returned to the sky.


	7. Chapter 7

Separated from the exciting, intoxicating prospects that Miusha's presence provided, I was able to plan a little more effectively for the future. Why _not_ take a proper vacation, with all the paid time off I'd accumulated unused over the years? I'd always told myself that I was needed, that my witless coworkers would be lost without me, but truth be told, they could certainly hold the fort at the very least. With pokeball production, the worst they could mess up would be accidentally capturing each other, and having to be set free... I chuckled at the thought and shook my head as I settled in at my computer, entering in all of my accrued time for three consecutive months away from the towering research and development building. It would mean waiting for a week or so for approval, but it would be far more worthwhile, I figured. I'd forgotten to ask Miusha whether she had any sort of time limit on her quest, but on the same note, she hadn't mentioned one.

"What's so funny, Asaki?" A playful nudge to the shoulder brought my attention up to my old colleague, Gerald Pataskin, the fearless rube who'd volunteered as the first test subject of the Human-ball. He flashed me a hopeful grin and surreptitiously stole a glance at my screen. "Ah, finally taking a break from us, eh Max?"

"Yeah," I nodded and chuckled again for his benefit, "Just thinking of all the trouble you'll all get up to without me to keep you in line. You're second in command, think you can handle things around here for a few months?"

Gerald's eyes nearly bugged out of his head, " _Months_?! You kiddin'? By the time you come back, we'll have those Masterballs on the assembly line, and twelve other modules to boot!" He crossed his arms confidently and threw me a wink. "But no, it's about time you took a break for yourself. What's the occasion?"

I adjusted my glasses to peer up at him with one eyebrow lifted, trying to figure out just how truthful I could afford to be. "I uh... met somebody. She needs a guide, and I figured it's a good excuse as any to put my language training to use."

"She, huh?" Pataskin shot me another wink, this time more exaggerated than I would have preferred. "Well, my boy, I wish you the best of luck!" He laughed heartily and gave me a light slap on the back before heading over to spread the news to the rest of the department.

I watched after him and sighed, "Yeah... I'll need it."

_______________________________________________________________________________________

"What luck!"

"What a gift! A chance! Nay, an _opportunity_!!"

The scientists could no longer contain their excitement, whooping and dancing in jigs around the lab tables, and even roping in the odd bemused Rocket to rejoice with them. "We're finally back on track! With a new Mewtwo project, no less!" Gathering around the main console, the team of five genetic engineers and three bio-medical experts poured over the emails and documents which had flooded their account shortly after the All-Hands meeting had dismissed. "It says we'll be getting a shipment of harvested DNA from the original and second projects, as well as a fully-mapped code of the original fossilized genetic material. Why, with this much of a sample, we could make ten- no, _twenty_ viable clones!"

"We should keep a video journal, in the tradition of Dr. Asaki and Fuji."

"Absolutely. Let's get this lab spic and span, then make a recording."

The scientists scattered, flicking on lights and testing machinery and assembling the giant tube tanks which would be filled with the primordial embryonic fluid for enhanced growth. They shouted back to the lead scientist, who took detailed notes and compiled a list of required materials and equipment before sending it back to Ardanio. By the end of the day, eight exhausted scientists and their supervising/helping hand Rockets gathered back at the main console to take a breather. With no-less-excited grins, they surveyed their work and huddled around the webcam.

"May 14th, 2019. This is the initial gathering of the team which will be heading the third iteration of the Mewtwo project. At the behest of our benefactor, we will be working to create _multiple_ clones which will be integrated into the ranks of our staff, and instilled with a sense of belonging and loyalty, in order to prevent any further escape attempts. Rather than naming each clone with the previous convention of Mew-Two, Mew-Three, Mew-Four, etcetera, we will move to a system of letters. Our first clone will be mA, then mB, mC, and so on. In addition, we've been asked to focus on the enhancement of Pokémon type isolations, in the same way that Mewthree was enhanced in the use of Dark type attacks for protection from Mewtwo. Thus, each subsequent clone will focus on a different type, starting with those to which we have the most immediate access."

At a nod from the speaker, two of the scientists drew back to send out their partner pokemon, a sneasel and a houndoom respectively.

"Starting with the Ice and Fire types, thus we commence the Type Clone development project. Our real work begins tomorrow."

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

From atop the Silph Co. building, I watched and waited, just barely within range to keep a weak psychic link to Maxwell's subconscious. Only once did I sense a brief panic regarding my appearance into his life, and the moment passed quickly enough without incident. The rest of the building, and even the rest of the city at large, seemed largely oblivious to anything but their own day-to-day concerns, much as I'd found to be the case previously. This "money" concept seemed to be the most pressing, and I reluctantly resigned myself to learn more about it in order to better understand humanity. I could only hope Mew would appreciate the effort.

As the hours passed with no change, I grew bored and lonesome on my own, and found myself falling into a light trance, watching the various consciousnesses of the humans below me skitter to and fro. Letting my mind drift further through the Dreaming, I focused back on the beaming pillar of Mew, and the dimmer signs of my parents not far from it. There, roaming through the forest on its own, was the tiny yet familiar pinprick of a soul which was my partner Meowth. With an effort of will, I focused solely on the Meowth and activated a teleport, spanning the distance between the Ancient Forest and Saffron City. Not nearly as practiced in the art as my father, it took a significant amount of time and energy to complete the task, but I was eventually able to pull Meowth through the space between us, letting it land on the smooth material of the roof on which I'd perched.

"Me-roww?!?" 

I blinked myself out of the trance and quickly called to the confused pokemon, "Here I am, Meowth. Sorry to bring you here so suddenly like this, but... I missed you." Glancing around, I found that the sun had moved nearly the whole way across the sky, with the lights shifting to longer shadows and tinted in reds.

Turning in place, Meowth brightened almost instantaneously upon seeing me, and immediately leapt into my lap to purr and rub its face against mine. I chuckled and returned the gesture playfully, wrapping the small feline in a firm hug. 

"Are my parents well? And Mew? How is home faring without me?"

"Mrr, mrah myah nyah meowth. Miew nyah rawr."

I smiled at the news and petted slowly along Meowth's coin and whiskers. "Well that's good to hea- wait, _pregnant_?!?" Meowth nodded and pushed its face further into my palm. "I'm going to be a sister! Meowth!!" I grinned and held the purring pokemon at arm's length. "This is excellent news. I'll be sure to go home straight away, once I'm done travelling with Maxwell."

"Nyah nyaaah?"

"Ah yes, the human I've encountered. He seems amenable to keeping me a secret, and he works in this building. I'm waiting for him to finish work for the day." With a contented sigh, I stretched out on my back with my head on my arms, letting Meowth curl up to knead innocently at my chestplate. "We're going to go see the world together. I'd like to take you with us, too, we'll get you trained up and strengthened. Maybe even evolved, how does that sound?"

Meowth didn't respond, aside from an even louder purr. I chuckled and stroked at its head once more, relaxing for another few minutes before a faint mental call caught my attention. _Miusha? Day's over. Heading downstairs now..._ I blinked, impressed at Maxwell's ability to use my constant scanning of his thoughts to contact me. I wondered if he'd guessed just how efficient it would turn out to be. What a clever human.

Cloaking both myself and Meowth, I quickly brought the both of us down to ground level just as Maxwell emerged from the front doorway. ((We're here with you,)) I told him bemusedly, and he nodded and started the walk toward his home, letting out Hypno shortly thereafter.

"We?" He cocked his head a bit and murmured in what he guessed must be my direction, hands shoved in his pockets.

((Myself and my partner Meowth,)) I answered, and quickly glanced around to make sure no prying eyes would see me decloaking the curious feline, who had crept along behind Hypno to bat playfully at its pendulum. The psychic type smirked and dangled the makeshift toy, and Meowth mewled happily and lunged for it.

Maxwell watched all this with a surprised expression, glancing around to try and spy me along with the Meowth which seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. " _You_ have a pokemon? I... guess I shouldn't be so surprised."

((Meowth and I grew up together,)) I confirmed, keeping pace as Maxwell pressed onward into the setting sun. ((I brought it here to join us in our adventure.))

"Ah, about that..." Maxwell flinched and ran one hand through his hair, tousling it into an intriguing fashion. "I figured it'd be better to have a few months of travel, two weeks from now, rather than two weeks of travel right now. Does... that still work for you? You can stay in my guest room in the meantime, if you'd like." I caught a brief flash of excitement from the scientist's psyche, though for what reason I couldn't be sure.

Taking the time to ponder over his words, I shrugged to myself. Surely more time spent on this ludicrous journey would better facilitate its completion. ((That is acceptable.)) As we reached Maxwell's home, he held the door open behind himself to admit Hypno, Meowth, and presumably me. With the door closed behind me, I took a brief glance around and closed the blinds on the windows before decloaking myself, allowing Maxwell to meet my eyes for the first time. He seemed a bit taken aback by my appearance in his house, though he quickly gathered his wits about him and led the way through a brief tour of his humble abode.

"...And here's the guest room, right next to my room. Feel free to just come let me know if you need anything." He flashed me a shy smile and gestured to each room in kind, loitering in the doorway of his sparsely-decorated bedroom.

"There was one thing," I returned the smile and tipped my head slightly, "Could you teach me about 'money'?"


	8. Chapter 8

"May twenty-fourth, 2019: After just a few attempts, we have been able to create the first two stable Type Clones, declared viable now that they've reached the fifth day of growth, equivalent to a full gestation period in our accelerated growth formula. While the clones may now be able to live outside of their tubes, we will keep them in suspended animation until they are fully mature, equivalent to seven years' real-time growth. This should take roughly one to two months, since we can accelerate the growth rate even further, now that we're out of the delicate first stage."

The lead scientist nods decisively and brings the camera from the main computer console to the collection of tubes, all but the third and seventh ones now empty save for the amniotic fluid. He takes note of the vital signs on the third tube, adjusts a setting on its control panel, and pans the camera up to show off the specimen inside. "This is mA, or as we've taken to calling her, Emma. She's our ice-type clone." An infant mewtwo drifts slowly in the fluid, curled in a fetal position, wires and tubes connected to her growing body. Her coloring is pale, an icy blue with a light lavender tail. It curls around her legs to show off its split tips, waving in the shallow currents and occasionally giving a brief flick of activity. "We believe the split tail may have been a result of the Espeon DNA used in stabilizing the psychic activity in her brain. It is unknown at this time whether she will have full sensation in both tails, or whether one will need to be amputated at a later date."

Moving on to the seventh tube, the scientist goes through the same procedure of collecting vitals and adjusting the growth rate, before displaying the yellow and orange body and red tail of the second Type Clone. "This is mB. With his focus on the fire type, it only made sense to call him Ember." A pan of the camera shows off the alarming size of the infant clone, his facial features still clearly that of a newborn, but his body more the size of a toddler. "It's unclear why Ember has grown so much more quickly than Emma, since their growth rates are supposedly identical. We will continue to monitor as the aging accelerates; if his growth continues unchecked, we may need to terminate and retry, to prevent an unstable and unsustainable size."

Handing the camera off to another scientist, the narration continues as the lens passes over several test tubes and petri dishes, each with a small, dark blob suspended inside. "Here we have the start of our next type isolation, the rock type. The boss has given us a Tyrantrum from his personal collection to work with, in hopes that the result may turn out to be more powerful than it would have been, had we used just the Geodude captured in Mt. Moon. We highly anticipate the results."

___________________________________________________

With the sun burning overhead, and the bug-types buzzing in the surrounding trees, Mewtwo and Mewthree take a brief pause in their toils to wipe the sweat from their brows and bask in each other's presence. ((The new addition is coming along nicely,)) Mewthree praises her mate, who preens a bit and wraps an arm around her shoulders, ((I'm sure we'll have plenty of room for the twins at this rate, even once Miusha returns home.))

(( _If_ she returns home,)) Mewtwo sulks, still concerned over the aimless journey of self-and-world-discovery they'd sent her on. ((Any word on her progress from Mew?))

As if on cue, the small pink legendary appears in the air nearby, tail crooked in a questioning curl and feet splayed to either side, "Mew?"

((Yes, you,)) the purple clone glances up at the other's arrival, ((How is Miusha doing?))

The diminutive feline spins in place as it processes the question, making brief eye-contact before darting away a few feet and back, now suspended upside-down. ((Haven't heard from her since she 'ported her Meowth over last week,)) it responds, ((But she'd been planning a trip with a human she met. I'll check in on her tonight. Now if you'll excuuuuuuse me-)) it does a complicated little pretzel-twist in midair to accentuate its point, ((I have more work to do if we're going to make this forest safe again for a couple of toddlers.)) Without another word, Mew disappears again with a barely-audible "pop" of air.

((If you're the one clearing out the brush and thorn,)) Mewtwo turns resignedly to Mewthree, ((Then what exactly is Mew working on so diligently?))

The dark-type clone merely responds with a shrug.

______________________________________________________

After a lengthy conversation, spanning a couple of days' worth of walks and dinners, and ending with a lot of "I don't really know"s and "Let's look that up"s, Miusha finds her head spinning and full of awed pity for the complicated nature of the world of humans, swimming in abstracted concepts of equivalent exchange and arbitrary rules. While her parents had insisted that the only differences between her species and that of the humans were physical in nature, Miusha can't help but wonder if there may be more to it than that. Why else would their society have emerged in such a way?

Maxwell finds himself bemusedly checking out history and sociology books from the Saffron library, already knowing ahead of time (partly from personal experience) that it won't be nearly enough to slake the child-like, innocent curiosity of the clone sharing his home. Sure enough, by the end of the next work day, Miusha has already devoured the information within, and is bursting with more questions Max doesn't have the answers to. With an exasperated chuckle, he reaches to take the current book from her grasp, where she'd been referring to a particularly cryptic and outdated passage, gesticulating wildly while her tail encounters several near-misses with a nearby lamp in its agitated thrashing. "Okay, okay, Miusha, let's settle down before we break something." He sets the book aside on the kitchen table, and pulls out a chair for each of them, which she folds herself into carefully. "Here's the thing about learning. Maybe someone like yourself could learn everything there is to learn out there in the world; I don't know what that brain of yours is capable of or not. But us humans? For the most part, we're limited. No one person- human- can learn it all. So we specialize our knowledge, just like we specialize our workforce and production, and rely on each other to cover the gaps when necessary."

Miusha rolls her eyes and plops her chin into one hand, "Obviously. So, what's your point?"

"You're going to have to make a choice, in this journey of yours. You can branch out into every specialty that catches your interest - by all means, I'm not stopping you. But you would have to find other humans to work with, because I only know so much." Maxwell shrugs helplessly, tapping at his temple with one finger before he extends one hand across the table, landing palm-up next to the History book. "Or, you can stay with me, at least for a while, and be content to learn what I know, and experience what we can do, learning and growing together."

The clone contemplates the scientist's words carefully, her hand and her gaze hovering between the book and the outstretched palm before she finally settles on the latter, her blunt fingers curling in with Maxwell's more delicate ones. "I'll stay. It's not likely I'll find another good human so quickly as I found you."

"You'd be surprised," Maxwell smirks wistfully, "But alright. Let's talk about Pokeballs."

______________________________________________________

No sooner had I arrived back at my archipelago than I was met with the caws of greeting from my winged brethren, wondering where I had gone and why. ((Peace, Articuno, peace, Zapdos, Moltres, all of you. I was gone but a fortnight, a mere nothing in the span of our time. I went to visit with the Guardian of Life, on the mainland. It has chosen a residence in the ancient forest, and is cohabitating with... clones.)) Perching atop the altar built to our majesty, I stretched my wings to their full length before folding them against my sides, my brethren settling around me on their respective perches. ((Apparently the humans and their devices have grown through such leaps and bounds that they now can create... false guardians. Mortal in the sense that they still have a limit to their years, but powerful beyond the levels any mortal should be capable of. Rivaling ourselves, if Mew is to be believed...))

A questioning whistle and tilt of the head from Articuno displayed their confusion on the matter.

Eyes closed to the brightness of the world around us, I sank once more into the Dreaming and projected the vision to the three others, showing them what had caused such alarm. ((There, see? Everyone is in their respective place, but the Guardian of Life has- wait. What is that...?)) Catching my attention off in the distance, still on the same region's mainland but quite a ways away, another beacon of consciousness now beamed, consisting of two new souls upon closer inspection, surrounded by the mortal souls of humans and pokemon alike. ((What is the meaning of this?!? Has the Guardian of Life... lied to me? Or has it lost all control of the situation, ignorant to the balance of the Dreaming?))

My brethren shifted uncomfortably upon their perches, their caws growing in panic as they struggled to understand my concern. ((Either way, this cannot continue. We must prepare for the worst; an attack against us, with no fallback to rely upon. Go, find your land-bound counterparts, and I will locate my twin. Tell them... it is time to cease our follies and prepare for war.)) 

Already weary of the times to come, I unfurled my wings once more, and the four of us took to the skies.


	9. Chapter 9

I hadn't expected Miusha to take my hand so easily as she had, as though it was the simplest thing in the world for us to make contact like that. I curled my fingers gently with hers, marveling at the soft texture of her round paw-pad-like fingertips, and trying not to make it a bigger deal than it had been to her. "It's not likely I'll find another good human so quickly as I found you," she'd said so flippantly, as though the secrecy she'd made me adhere to hadn't been threatened upon my life, or at the very least, upon my memories.

"You'd be surprised," I answered, thinking of my father, of my peers, of the widely-known philanthropy of professors and leaders alike, "But alright. Let's talk about Pokeballs." I gave her hand a gentle squeeze before letting go, intending to reach for my bag of spare balls. But before I could withdraw my grasp, it had been captured in hers, those fingers surprisingly strong around my wrist.

"Wait," she murmured, glancing between my eyes and our still-joined hands, "Before that, this is... significant to you, is it not?" Unable to fashion a proper response, I could feel Miusha impatiently probing at my thoughts again, trying to parse out the meaning in the gesture. "This- holding hands? It makes your pulse accelerate by no less than 30%, and your palm is perspiring suddenly." She twisted my hand to lie in hers, palm up, while she swiped at the gathering moisture there with her other thumb. "Why?"

"I... um..." I fumbled for words, quickly searching for the underlying cause rather than the immediate stimuli, "I don't get to- that is, it's uncommon for humans to touch each other, aside from in very specific cases or types of relationship. I'm not sure why, honestly, probably one of those things sociology could answer. Don't get me wrong!" I sputtered and tried to catch Miusha as she reluctantly pulled her hands away, our fingertips catching on each other again, "It's... nice. Don't feel like you have to stay away, just because of some social norm, okay? Besides... I was kind of hoping you might let me study you a little; gather some of the data that was lost in- well, you know."

"In the incident, you mean," Miusha nodded sagely, her eyelids drooping a little as she glanced away, "When my father killed yours in his escape from the laboratory complex." We fell silent for a moment, each contemplating our tangled legacies and their implications, before she lifted my hand between hers once again. "I accept, on the condition that I get to study you in return. I know so precious little about humans, and tactile learning is often more fulfilling than simply reading about a subject. Is that acceptable?"

I chuckled, reminded once again of just how curious and straightforward Miusha had proven herself to be. "Deal. We may have many differences, your species and mine, but I'm beginning to think that you and I are much alike in the ways that truly matter." With my hand limp in her grasp, I allowed Miusha to poke and prod gently at my fingertips, my nails, my metacarpals, even the well-defined tendon in my wrist, causing my fingers to curl when squeezed.

"Interesting," she muttered, seemingly for my benefit, "You may have more fingers, but they are delicate, and don't seem to be entirely independent of one another - the middle ones are closely linked, are they not?" She deftly plucked at my ring finger, watching how its neighbors would move slightly to either side to accompany it. I nodded, mildly amused and slightly wary as she tested my range of motion, my wrist a little stiffer than she seemed to find acceptable. "Very interesting indeed. You're not very flexible, you can barely do this-" Miusha pulled both her hands up against her chestplate, curled downward in the most typically feline pose I'd seen her take, reminiscent of a Makeneko.

I couldn't help but burst out laughing at the picture of this powerful being, posing like a cutesy teenage girl. "No, hah- I suppose I can't. Why should I...?" I tried to mirror the position, my hands sticking out in some strange facsimile of a Tyrantrum until I had to flex them upwards to ease the strain.

"It's more aerodynamic to tuck your limbs against your body, don't you- ah, right. You can't fly." Soon enough, the both of us had broken into giggles, though I wasn't sure either of us could quite explain why.

After a few moments, once we'd regained our senses, I beckoned for Miusha's hand with both of mine, running through many of the same tests and gentle machinations she'd done on me. "You have roughly the same three creases in your palm, but they're shaped a little differently. And these round fingertips- are they sensitive all the way around?" I brushed against the back of one experimentally, and Miusha nodded, rubbing back against my thumb with hers. "Incredible. I wonder why you'd have that, instead of nails..." I plucked at one of her fingers and tested its range of motion, its opposible nature with both other fingers, its clumsy curl toward the palm - "You're missing a joint, or it's fused together. Very interesting indeed." With a soft sigh of satisfaction, I patted at her hand once more before letting go, turning to grab Hypno's Pokeball from my lab coat's pocket and place it upon the table.

Miusha eyed the ball balefully, as though loathe to be in the same room as such a thing. "You won't try to capture me again?" Already I could see the tension in her shoulders, and feel the probing into my thoughts and intentions.

"No, I won't," I sighed and shook my head, "And please stop reading my mind, it's... rude. I don't go around intruding on your train of thought."

"As if you could," she scoffed, haughty at first before the request seemed to sink in, and her shoulders drooped, suddenly abashed. "Apologies. I will endeavor to keep my mind to myself from now on."

"Thanks. Now... I don't know what you've heard about Pokeballs, but you seem to be... afraid of them?" At her reluctant nod, I continued, "There's nothing to be afraid of, even if you get captured. The technology is very safe, and to some extent... voluntary. With a sufficient force of will, you can escape at any time."

Eyebrows furrowed, Miusha reached tentatively for the ball, meeting my eyes furtively along the way, "So... it's not slavery?" She touched the ball's button with one finger, releasing Hypno onto the floor beside the table. It peered around curiously, nodded in greeting at the fellow psychic-type, and leaned in against my side with a patient sigh.

I contemplated Miusha's question for a good while, unable to help recalling the horror stories I'd heard of, where trainers gone bad had used the Pokeball technology as a means of imprisonment and abuse, rather than protection and safety, as it should be. "It's... not meant to be, no. A human's relationship with pokemon is meant to be one of friendship, partnership, of mutual reliance." I draped an arm around Hypno's shoulders, combing fondly at its neck ruff with my fingers. "I won't lie to you and say that the system is entirely balanced, nor that it can't be twisted by those who would abuse it. But... like it or not, Pokeballs have been a part of human society for... really, longer than modern history can account for, in one form or another! They won't be going away any time soon, so it's best that you learn about this crucial piece of technology, rather than fear it on principle alone."

With a wavering, deep breath, Miusha met my eyes and nodded decisively. "You're right. Teach me what there is to know."

"Alright." I stood and crossed the room to a modest bookshelf, and pulled out a well-loved textbook on the subject. "Here," I flipped to a dog-eared page, depicting several oddly-shaped relics: a spoon and double-ended lure-like device, a shortened barbell, a large stone bell, and several others. "These artifacts are said to be the ancestors of modern Pokeballs; devices which seem to be able to harness the extraordinary abilities of pokemon, such as Minimize, in order to capture and store living beings within. The technology is fairly crude in nature, and not well-defined; it seems to have no limit on how many creatures or items it would store, and no way of selecting them from storage, capable only of doing a total dump."

"Fascinating," Miusha murmured from over my shoulder, where she'd migrated in order to read alongside me.

I continued on, reminiscing in memories of my first classes in the subject, and trying to condense the information appropriately. "While the capturing technology was refined over time into clockwork apparatuses, it wasn't until the invention and integration of the modern Pokeball with the wireless Trainer Registry and the Box Storage system that we were truly able to make an organized league of pokemon trainers, with set rules and limitations. Which reminds me," I sat up abruptly and pulled out my Pokegear, pulling up a map of the city, "If we're going to be going on a trainer's journey, I need to get registered as a proper trainer, with a Pokedex and all. I'll go to the registry first thing tomorrow."

"Should I get registered too?" Miusha wondered aloud, her head tilted curiously.

"Well... I mean, if you were human, I would definitely say yes. But you don't have an ID, trainer or otherwise, you probably don't have a birth certificate to obtain one, and you'd have to reveal yourself to a lot of people in order to get established enough in the system for it to be of any use to you." I frowned and contemplated the quandary, tapping at my chin as I glanced at Hypno, and at Miusha's meowth, curled in a ball atop my couch. "I'll have to stand in as your surrogate, using my license as though it were yours. We'll build a team, a collection, together. How's that sound?"

Miusha crossed her arms, seemingly disappointed with something, or with herself. "If my abilities were further developed, I would be able to disguise myself as a human, or alter the minds of those who stand in our way..."

"Let's keep the mind-alteration to a minimum, if you please?" I gritted my teeth and put up my hands in a placating gesture. "It makes me _nervous_ when you talk like that... like people are just things to be used or discarded. Just because you _can_ mess with somebody's brain, doesn't mean you _should_ , at least not without their consent." Before she could protest, I continued, "And besides, I'm not sure the disguise idea would work, anyhow. The registry works on a DNA basis; you'd have to be able to alter yourself down to the molecular level, or else the system would recognize you as a pokemon, not a trainer."

"My father is able to create materials, and Mew was able to teach him to use Transform, which works on the molecular level, as I understand it. Perhaps it could teach me, as well." Miusha mirrored my thinking pose, tapping at her chin with one finger, and I couldn't help but smile at the gesture. "But in the interim, I suppose your plan works just as well. And... if I am to be seen as a 'pokemon' by this system of yours, then... I suppose I should see what we would be subjecting our team to. May I see an empty ball?"

Not quite following her train of thought, I reached back for my lab coat and pulled out an unused ball, the same psychic-type prototype I'd pilfered from the lab. "This one is a capture device only, it doesn't have the system integration built into it yet. Will that work?"

"Perfectly," Miusha nodded and took the ball from my hand. Immediately, she was engulfed in the white capture light that swirled into the ball, which then snapped shut and dropped to the floor without so much as a wiggle. And just like that, I had caught a mewtwo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't forget to leave a comment!


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